Plaster of paris bandage package



1964 J. JOHNSTON PLASTER OF PARIS BANDAGE PACKAGE Filed Oct. 17. 1962 INVENTOR. Jo/m g/0fi/75/0/7 United States Patent 3,152,692 PLASTER F PIS BANDAGE PAQKAGE John Johnston, Michigan City, Ind, assignor to The Scholl Mtg. (10., Inc, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of New York Filed (let. 17, 1962, Ser. No. 231,070 4 Claims. (Cl. 206-59) This invention relates to improvements in a plaster of Paris bandage package, and more particularly to a package including a roll of bandage containing a plaster composition, such bandage being highly desirable for use in making casts to immobilize a part of the body particularly in the case of broken bones, as well as other'afllictions, although the invention may have other uses and purposes as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

In the past, many and various forms of plaster of Paris and equivalent bandages have been made, which, in the main, comprised a fabric base strip impregnated and coated with a binder and plaster of Paris or equivalent material to form a plaster composition that is activated by water to form a hard rigid product upon drying. Such bandages are taken in their rolled state, held in the hand by a surgeon, dipped in a bucket of water or otherwise wetted, and then unwound and applied directly to the patients body. Difiiculty has been heretofore experienced by the operating surgeon in that frequently the bandage compressed too much when squeezed to cause it to absorb water, and thus the inner portion of the bandage would not be thoroughly wetted and the wetness throughout the bandage would not be uniform. Also, as the plaster becomes thoroughly wetted or during application of the bandage after wetting, there was a tendency for the bandage to telescope with the inner bandage layers slipping outwardly, which rendered the bandage practically unworkable. Difficulty was also experienced in handling wide bandages since when wetted such bandages tended to collapse into a curved shape and required a two-handed application for practical unrolling. In other instances, even though the bandage be properly wetted throughout and in good condition, it was extremely difiicult for the surgeon to find the outer free end of the bandage in order to unwrap the same after the plaster composition had become soaked, and undue time was lost in finding the point to start unwrapping the bandage. All such aggravations interfered with the application of a proper cast. Furthermore, even though the bandage be packaged to facilitate its use, it is essential that it be economical.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an important object of the instant invention to provide a rolled plaster bandage which may be subjected to one or more squeezings while being wetted without collapse or telescoping of the bandage.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a package embodying a plaster bandage wound around a resilient open work core which permits one or more squeezings of the bandage without collapsing during the wetting operation, and which results in uniform wetting of the plaster bandage throughout, also preventing telescoping.

Another feature of the instant invention is the pro vision of a package embodying a plaster bandage wound around a resilient tubular plastic netting core which not only insures thorough wetting of the interior portion of the bandage, but also prevents the bandage from collapsing if squeezed during the wetting operation, or telescoping during application.

Still another object of the instant invention is the provision of a rolled plaster bandage having indicia thereon that is unaffected when the bandage is moistened and which indicates or denotes the outer free end of the bandage.

Still another object of the instant invention is the provision of a plaster bandage package embodying a plaster bandage rolled around an open work core sufiiciently economical to warrant its disposition after the bandage has been put to use, and the bandage carrying insoluble indicia to indicate the outer free end of the bandage after it has been wetted.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantages of the instant invention have been above pointed out, others will become apparent from the following disclosures, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a plaster bandage utilized in the instant invention;

FIGURE 2 is a greatly enlarged transverse sectional view of the bandage of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an end view of a package incorporating the bandage of FIGURES land 2 and embodying principles of the instant invention;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the outer free end of the bandage; and

FIGURE 5 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the core around which the plaster bandage itself is wound.

As shown on the drawings:

The illustrated embodiment of the instant invention includes a bandage of the plaster of Paris type, which comprises a fabric base strip 1, a 24x28 count crinoline or other loosely woven fabric being satisfactory. This base strip is impregnated entirely or coated by a binder 2 having uniformly dispersed therethrough dry ingredients in the form of plaster of Paris or the equivalent and other materials to facilitate uniform wetting, rapid setting, or provide other advantages, there being numerous formulas in the prior art for the plaster compound or composition. Preferably the bandage is serrated along its side edges as indicated at 3 to prevent the fraying of warp threads during application, or a leno weave base cloth having a straight edge which cannot fray may be used if desired.

The plaster bandage is wound into a coil 4 around a core 5, and this core, as best seen in FIGURE 5, is preferably extruded plastic netting. The open-work characteristic of the core insures wetting of the inner portion of the plaster bandage through the core, when the entire rolled bandage is dipped into a container of water or other wetting liquid. The core may be extruded in the netting character of polyethylene or polypropylene, and the latter is preferable since it is a trifle stiffer than the polyethylene. Further, the core has been sterilized due to heat involved in the extrusion operation, and therefore is not carrying a mass of bacteria as is usually the case with cores made of reclaimed cardboard and the like.

The core is resilient to some extent, and will permit one or more squeezings of the bandage by the hand of the surgeon while it is immersed without permitting the rolled bandage to collapse at the center and thus interfere with uniform wetting of the plaster bandage. It should also be noted that the core is sufficiently economical in all sizes of plaster bandages to warrant discarding of the core after the bandage has been used.

With reference more particularly to FIGURE 4, it will be noted that the bandage itself carries some form of indicia 6 on the outer free end portion 7 of the bandage, which indicia is insoluble and unaffected when the ban dage is immersed. The indicia enables the surgeon to locate quickly the free end of the bandage after it has been immersed so that it may be unwound and applied to the patients body. Otherwise, the plaster especially when engaged in the hand of the surgean, becomes smooth upon being moist and it is an extremely diificult task to locate the free end of the bandage for unwinding it in many cases. The indicia 6 may be of any suitable character, and may be quickly and economically provided by means carried by the so-called guillotine which severs the bandage into predetermined lengths. By way of example, in the illustrated instance we have shown the word end printed upon the bandage in indelible and insoluble ink, and this printing may be directly upon the surface of the plaster composition embodied in the bandage. Obviously, other physical forms of indicia could be utilized without departing from the spirit of this invention.

In use, the instant invention is extremely simple and effective. The wound bandage may be enclosed in any suitable form of outer wrapper or container, not illustrated since that outer Wrapper or container does not form any part of the instant invention. Upon removal of the outer wrapper, the surgeon takes the rolled bandage in his hand, immerses his hand in water, squeezes the bandage one or more times to insure absorption throughout the bandage, then removes the bandage from the water, unrolls it and'applies it directly to a portion of the patients body, thus forming a cast in a known manner. However, with the present invention the innermost portion of the bandage is wetted as quickly as the outer portion, wetting throughout the bandage being enhanced by one or more squeezes, and the bandage is eifectively prevented from collapsing by the open work core, but adequate wetting of the interior portion of the bandage occurs directly through this open work core. When the surgeon desires to unwrap the bandage after wetting, it is a simple expedient to glance at the bandage, find the indicia 6 indicating the outer free end of the bandage, and then unroll the bandage. There is no de lay in the application of the bandage, and the bandage is uniformly wetted throughout and in proper and desirable condition for application by the surgeon. The entire structure is economical, the core need not be retained but may be discarded after the bandage has been put to use, and the provision of the indicia 6 adds but a negligible amount to the cost of the bandage.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a plaster of Paris bandage package,

a roll of plaster of Paris bandage, and

an insoluble marking on said bandage indicating the outside free end thereof when the roll of bandage has been wetted.

2. A plaster of Paris bandage package comprising a resilient open-work core of plastic material,

a bandage wound on said core and including a fabric base strip and a plaster composition carried by said base strip,

and

indicia on said bandage to denote the free end thereof after the bandage has been wetted.

3. In a plaster bandage package,

a tubular core of plastic netting,

a bandage containing a plaster composition wound directly on said core, and

indicia on said bandage denoting the outer free end thereof.

4. A plaster of Paris bandage package comprising an extruded tubular polypropylene netting core,

a bandage containing a plaster of Paris composition wound directly thereon, and

an insoluble marking on said bandage denoting the outer free end thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 408,668 Peck Aug. 6, 1889 1,426,569 Ingram Aug. 22, 1922 1,510,648 Borroughs Oct. 7, 1924 2,964,174 Litchfield et al. Dec. 13, 1960 

4. A PLASTER OF PARIS BANDAGE PACKAGE COMPRISING AN EXTRUDED TUBULAR POLYPROPYLENE NETTING CORE, A BANDAGE CONTAINING A PLASTER OF PARIS COMPOSITION WOUND DIRECTLY THEREON, AND AN INSOLUBLE MARKING ON SAID BANDAGE DENOTING THE OUTER FREE END THEREOF. 